Court indicts “nurse” for theft

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor has indicted a man who was arrested for two counts of theft after pretending to be a nurse in different hospitals in the city where he reportedly carried out his illegal activities.

State Prosecutor Simaco Labata held Raymond Lequin, 31, a resident of Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City, for trial after he chose not to file his counter-affidavit to answer the allegations filed against him during the inquest proceeding yesterday.

Lequin manifested to face the charges in court.

Lequin was arrested by the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation-7 during an entrapment operation at the Visayas Community Medical Center Wednesday.

According to the complaints against him, Lequin pretended to be an interested buyer of high-end cellphones and laptops posted in OLX.PH, an online shopping site, and identified himself to the sellers as a nurse assigned at different emergency rooms in Cebu City hospitals.

The transactions usually occurred in the hospital were Lequin pretended to work. During meet-ups with the sellers of the cellphones and when Lequin would get hold of the gadget, he would reportedly ask if he could test the gadget. Lequin would then enter the emergency room of the hospital and would escape using his gateway motorcycle parked outside the hospital.

In an earlier interview, Lequin admitted to the crime. He said after he lost his job as a caregiver in another country, he engaged in the said illegal activity.

Prosecutor Labata has recommended a P20,000 bail for each counts of theft filed against the Lequin. — Mylen P. Manto/ATO (FREEMAN)